Bowing-guide for violins.



No. mm. v Patented Nov. ll, I902.

n. s. STRAUSS -& a. s. scnwsnonz.

ROWING GUIDE FUR VIOLINS.

(Applicltion filed In. 26, 1901.;

(No Model.)

WITNESSES! V MDK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S. STRAUSS AND EDWARD S. SCHNVERDTLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BOWlNG-GUIDE FOR VIOLINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,171, dated November11, 1902.

Application filed March 25,1901. Serial No. 52,830. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that we,HARRY S. STRAUSS and EDWARD S. SCHWERDTLE, citizensof the United States, and residents of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in a Bowing-Guide for Violins, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to a bowing-guide for violins. Heretofore the mostdifiicult thing for beginners to acquire in the art of violinplaying iswhat is termed bowingthat is, to learn the art of carrying the bowsquarely across the strings and at right angles thereto and also at acertain distance from the bridge. This is absolutely necessary in orderto get the proper tone and eifect, which cannot be done if the properposition on the strings is not maintained together with the straighttravel of the bow. Until the pupil has acquired the art of proper bowinghe cannot become an accomplished player. In some cases this requiresyears of constant practice to acquire. With our attachment the art ofbowing is acquired Without any elfort on the part of the pupil, as withits use thereis no chance to go astray.

To this end our invention consists of a rod pivotally supported in therear of the bridge and projecting laterally from the violin. Inconnection with this rod a guide-ring is socured to the arm of theoperator and adapted to run on this rod, so that when the bow-hand movesto and from the violin the guide will prevent the hand deviating from astraight line. In connection with this rod and ring a guide is arrangedforward of the bridge to keep the bow in its proper position.

To enable others to understand our invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an upper plan viewof a violin, showing the hand-guide rod and bowgnide in position, theformer shown as broken. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of a violin,showing the hand-guide rod elevated, said rod also shown broken. Fig. 3is a detail view violin.

the attachment to which the guide-rod is pivoted, said rod shown asbroken, also a broken view of the bow-guide adjustably secured to suchattachment. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the attachment shown atFig. 4. Fig. 6 is an upper plan view of the clamp attached to a brokensection of the violin, to which clamp the guide-rod support isdetachably secured. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a hand holding a bowin the act of playing, showing the bracelet secured to .the wrist, alsobroken section of the guide-rod with the ring of said bracelet engagedtherewith.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

1 is a clamp secured to the violin 2 by means of the thumb-nuts 3.

at is the guide-rod support, carrying the guide-rod 5, pivotallysupported on the pin 6 and between the ears 7.

8 represents slots in the opposite end of this support to receive theswiveled buttons 9 of the clamp 1, whereby said support is detachablysecured to said clamp.

10 is a small wire rod which is adj ustably secured to the support 4 bymeans of the thumb-nut 11. The forward vertical end 10 is the bow-guideproper, and its exact position relative to the sounding-board and bridgehaving been properly determined by the player it is firmly secured tosaid support 4.

12 is a spring-bracelet having the holes 13 adapted to be engaged by theswiveled button 14:. There are several of these holes, so that saidbracelet can be reduced or expanded. In the drawings this bracelet isshown attached to the wrist, as that is the most convenient placewhereby to attain the best results, although, if desired, it can besecured to any part of the arm.

15 is a swiveled ring or runner secured to the lower part of saidbracelet,.which ring is adapted to slide freely over the guide-rod 5, asshown at Fig. 7.

The operation of the device is as follows: The bracelet 12 is attachedto the wrist and the ring is slipped over the guide-rod 5. The bow beingproperly grasped by the hand is laid against the vertical wire guide 10.Now on moving the bow across the strings 17 it is impossible to deviatefrom the true line of perfect bowing. The guide-rod 5' will prevent anyfaulty side movement of the hand, while the guide 10 will keep the bowin proper place and prevent its crawling down the inclined stringstoward the neck of the violin. The hand-guide rod 5 is so pivoted thatit can only have a tilting motion varying all the way from thehorizontal to the vertical. As the bow describes a curve, this tiltingmovement is necessary to enable the operator to reach all of the stringswithout any cramping effect. The forward portion 4 of the guiderodsupport is pitched downward, so that when the bow-hand'is brought to itsextreme forward position it will not come in contact with the ears 7.

It will be observed that thehand-rod guide 5 is set at a slight angle,as shown at Fig. 1. This also assists materially in maintaining astraight-line movement of the bow. When the bow is pushed forward, thebending of the elbow will of course bring the hand closer to the body;but when-it is withdrawn the arm is comparatively straight and the handis then almost at right angles to the said rod. Now if the rod werestraight the outer or hand end of the bow would be carried away from thesame, and thus describe a lateral curve when the arm was straightened;but by setting the rod at an angle this tendency to crowd or curveoutward is counteracted and the bow will move in a straight line. Shouldthere be any tendency of the runner on its guide-rod or the bow incontact with its guide to produce any noise that would annoy the player,those parts could be covered with felt or other like material.

We do not wish to be confined to the exact means whereby the ban d-guiderod is attached to the violin nor to the means employed for securing theguide for the bow, as these can be otherwise supported. It is, however,importo the violin, a guide-rod pivotally connected thereto, saidguide-rod adapted to have a vertical movement in said support, combinedwith suitable means adapted to be secured to the bowing-arm of theoperator to loosely embrace said guide-rod,for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described bowing device for violins, consisting of aguide-rod pivotally supported on the violin, and adapted to have avertical tilting movement, combined with a runner adapted to be securedto the bowing- .arm, and abow-guide located forward of the bridge of theviolin, for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described bowing device for violins, consisting of adetachable support adapted to be secured to the violin, a guiderodpivoted in said support and adapted to have a vertical n1ovement,anadjustable bowguide secured to said support, a runner adapted to besecured to the bowing-arm to loosely engage said guide rod, for thepurpose set forth.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, this 23d day of March, A. D. 1901.

HARRY S. STRAUSS. EDWARD S. SCHWERDTLE.

Witnesses:

A. K. LOVELL, JOHN B. CLAPP.

